Professor Takes On New Role in Corrections

SEA Member Named Administrator for Women Offenders and Family Services

The Department of Corrections announced last week that Laura Hardwick, an SEA member who worked as an associate professor in the Career and Technical Education Center, was named administrator for Women Offenders and Family Services.

In her new role, Hardwick — who served as a councilor for Chapter 24 — will provide technical assistance, plan and evaluate gender specific programming, and develop the resources needed to achieve the best possible outcomes for women and families.

“It’s pretty much finding the programming that they require, getting that programing into the facilities, and getting the recidivism rate to decrease,” Hardwick said.

The role has increased importance as the state is in the planning stages of building a new women’s prison on the grounds of the men’s prison in Concord. The decision to build a new women’s prison came after prisoners sued, arguing they don’t receive the same services that male prisoners receive. Site work for the new facility should begin this summer.

Hardwick said she welcomed the challenge of the new position, and that funding problems shouldn’t stand in the way of the work they do for the roughly 170 women in the prison system.

“We work with what we have, we do the best we can,” she said. “I’ve done that for 11 years, so I’m going to continue to do that.”

As she transitions into her new job, Hardwick said she’s eager to make more of an impact.